English Championship side Wigan Athletic have gone into administration according to BBC Sport. In doing so, they are first side to do so since the coronavirus pandemic began.
It is now expected Wigan will be deducted 12 points. However, the sanction will not be applied until the end of the season if the side nicknamed the Latics finish outside the bottom three after the 46 games regular season. Wigan currently sit in 14th place in the championship table. If Wigan do finish in the bottom then the 12 points deduction will be applied in the 2020/21 season.
In fairness since the resumption of games Wigan have won all three of their games. The team are coached by former Sligo Rovers boss Paul Cook. Since retiring from playing in 2006 he has also managed Portsmouth, Southport, Accrington and Chesterfield to name but a few. Cook’s side had a super 3-0 win over Stoke at the DW Stadium on Tuesday, which puts them 8 points clear of the drop zone.
The club was owned by Dave Whelan up until 2018. However, he sold to Hong Kong based International Entertainment Corporation. There was then a further change of ownership in June with Next Leader Fund taking control. BBC Sport state that the administrators will be Gerald Krasner, Paul Stanley and Dean Watson of Begbies Traynor. Paul Stanley told BBC Sport, “We understand that everybody connected with the club and the wider football world is seeking clarity on the future of Wigan Athletic”. “That’s exactly what we are seeking to provide as we move through this process and we seek out interested parties to rescue this famous old club here in the region.
Mr Stanley said that the pandemic has “obviously had a significant of recent fortunes of the club”. He also said that anyone interested in buying the club should contact the administrators directly.
